No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on May 6, 2019

I thought about shortening it to MMM but then all I can think is the Merry Marvel Marching Society so it gets written out.

Considering how gloomy the weather was yesterday, it sure turned around today. It is a beautiful day. It is sunny and there is a little bit of a breeze. A little cool but not cold. Those sorts of days that makes one glad to be alive.

NPR has an article entitled From Gloomy to Gratitude http:// https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/05/719780061/from-gloom-to-gratitude-8-skills-to-cultivate-joy?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20190505&fbclid=IwAR1TtWU9GdwaUjopja3vGc3BuUKoIEzgCp8ZwbV9SsFaCydxkwaWPlmlFMs which talks about a study of caregivers and depression/stress which is very prevalent in that group. They work with the caregivers with simple strategies to help their mental health and change the downward thinking that can spiral out of control vey quickly. I know all this from experience since I have the title of caregiver. I find it interesting that a number of things that they suggest are things I have been doing for years just to get out of that downward spiral basically on instinct.

One of the things I have been doing for years is just stating something I am grateful for at the end of my entries. I got the habit from another Live Journal user almost 15 years ago and I am glad that I continued doing it with every few exceptions. It makes me stop and think about what is happening around me and to me. Sometimes it feels like I am pulling teeth to find something to be grateful for. Other times I have so many things that it is hard to get it down to one thing. I have tried hard to not repeat myself and, for the most part, succeeded.

Caroline was inducted into the Spanish Honor Society at her high school last week. I am very proud of her and her accomplishments. She dressed up for the occasion and I got a serious glimpse into what she is going to look like as an adult. She was wearing business attire with jewelry and looked very well put together. I would not have pegged her at 16 in that outfit if I just saw her walking in New York. She has gone from baby to toddler to child to teen to adult. It seems such a short time ago she was a baby. Time does speed up when you have children.

We saw Avengers Endgame again. It does hold up to multiple viewings. We have also been watching our way through various Avengers films that we wanted to see after seeing Endgame the first time. I will give Kevin Fiege lots and lots of credit for making a ten year movie series that feels like a TV series when you get round to it. And everything pretty much tied together in the end.

This week is pretty quiet which will be nice. Next week starts to ramp up activities then we are into the convention season and all bets are off.

I am grateful for friends in high places that can work magic for my family.

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Posted By Kathleen David on May 5, 2019

One of the many advantages of living close to the short are the breezes. One of the disadvantages of living close to the shore are the winds.

Today was a wet and windy day where indoors was the preferred place to be.

We watched our way through a number of Marvel movies. They did wrap it up rather nicely. Almost makes me wonder what they are going to do next to follow up since a majority of their track work ends with Endgame.

I tried a new receipt for dinner. I always tell Peter and Caroline that if they don’t like it, then I will not make it again. I need them to be honest because if they do like it or don’t object and I like it, I will make it again. Tonight’s was very simple and a hit. I know one or two alterations I will be making to the dish but it is a keeper.

Tomorrow the week gets into gear. I have most of it mapped out but I am allowing for the usual life happens to drop in as needed.

This evening we are going to see Game of Thrones or rather try to see it. It was a bit murky last week.

I am grateful for normality.

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Posted By Kathleen David on May 4, 2019

This is Star Wars Day since it is May the 4^th(say it out loud).

My instinct, having been raised Catholic, is to say “And also with you.”

To all my Star Wars friends, have a happy and safe day with lots of new fond memories made.

It is also Free Comic Book Day! Which was a very clever idea that has taken off. Now remember that the book(s) are free to you but the retailer does have to pay for them. I encourage you to purchase something as well. Let’s support our local businesses especially those that give us access to our favorite superheroes.

It is also the day in 1891 that Arthur Conan Doyle tossed Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty over the Reichenbach Fall and thought he was done with the great detective. Thank goodness his mother convinced him otherwise.

It is the birthday of Eddie Akua who saved a lot of peoples lives and was one heck of a surfer. The Google Doodle in the US is a tribute to him today.

I saw Thor eight years ago and enjoyed it. In fact I have noticed that this is the time of year for the Marvel Film. Around this time I saw Iron Man, all four Avengers films, Thor, Captain America Civil War, and Guardians vol. 2. Ten years of films starting with the long shot that was Iron Man with an actor who had been written off as not viable and a major insurance risk.

So I wish you a happy May the Fourth. Go out and have some fun. Unless it is raining then find some indoor fun to be had.

I am going to reread the Final Problem to mark the occasion.

I am grateful that we have our day sorted out.

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Posted By Kathleen David on May 3, 2019

Tomorrow is May 4 or May the Fourth, which has become Star Wars Day.

It will be a bit sadder with the passing of Peter Mayhew at the age 74. I have been to a lot of conventions over the years were he was a guest. I loved watching him with fans. He was so giving and would listen very carefully to what he was being told. He never got tired of hearing how much his performance meant to people. I have numerous conversations over the years with him about a variety of topics. I remember once he was happy to see me because he had a puppet question and figured he could ask me. There was another time that he needed to get from the green room to his table and he was having one of his not so good days. I happened to be the right height for him to lean on and get him to his table where he had left his cane. The only solace I take in all this is that he is no longer in pain. I will miss the conversations and the man. My sympathies to his family and friends. There is a Chewie sized hole in the world.

Tomorrow is also Free Comic Book Day at your local comic book shop if they are participating. Peter will be at Fourth World in the morning to sign stuff and meet fans. Please if you go to get free comics, consider making a purchase as well to support the shop. We need to support our local comic book shops.

I read an article in the NYT, which is doing a free weekend by taking down the paywall, about niksen the Dutch word for doing nothing. You can find the article here. This is something I have been doing all my life without realizing it. I think I am going to be a little more conscious about doing it. 

Like I have stated at the beginning of the month, I plan to be realistic about what I can do rather than what I think I can do. I am also keeping a notebook about what I have done to keep myself honest.

Yesterday my cat Inky decided that I needed a purring cat at my hip and settled herself in. Funny thing is that I felt better after she left me. Mewlan then started crawling all over me. She finally settled on my chest and purred which also felt good. I love my cats.

I am grateful for the time I got to spend with Peter Mayhew. 

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Posted By Kathleen David on May 2, 2019

I have a couple of weather apps and one of them is tied into the local news and weather as in Long Island weather not NYC. One of the more handy functions is the pollen count and what is prevalent in the air that day.

I could tell you when I got up this morning that we had some serious pollen floating around. My face felt like someone had punched me in the sinuses and my eyes were watering even before I opened them. Now I know what I am deal with tree pollen wise.

Caroline, unfortunately, has the same issue. She takes Claritin at the first hint of spring. This works for the most part except on days like today which can last a while depending on rain and wind and the trees.

Even with all that, it is a beautiful day outside. The temperature is pretty much in my perfect range. There is sunshine with a light breeze. The kind of day that it feels good to be alive.

The promise of spring has been written about in just about every form of the written word. It has been painted, photographed, and filmed.

Spring-cleaning is still a thing apparently now in overdrive due to Tidying Up on Netflix. Let’s get that old stale air of winter out of the house and bring in the fresh air.  Making room for the pollen floating around or fewer surfaces for it to land on.

Getting things out of the house that do not need to be there anymore should be a competitive sport. Ours got complicated by the change in the village recycling system, which has reduced what they take down to two types of plastics. They also are doing paper one week and plastics the next. Glass and Metal are now landfill unless you are willing to drive for half an hour to the one place on this side of the island which is still taking those items and they are overwhelmed. Also Suffolk county has a nickel a bag charge and no more plastic bags with a few exceptions. I have been reusing bags for years at the grocery story thus it is not much of an adjustment to me.

Also trying to find places that will take books and not turn around and pulp them has become more complicated.

We did find a place for toys and stuffed animals that need a new home along with clothes and kitchen items for now.

However with everyone getting rid of that which does not bring them joy, the second hand shops are inundated with stuff and some are refusing various items now because they have so many and no one wants them apparently.

I am grateful for that which continues to give me joy.

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